US3269684A

US3269684A - Counterpoising and equipoising mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3269684A
Application number: US404606A
Authority: US
Inventors: Iggulden William Palmer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-10-19
Filing date: 1964-10-19
Publication date: 1966-08-30
Anticipated expiration: 1983-08-30

Description

Aug. 30, 1966 w. P. IGGULDEN COUNTERPOISING AND EQUIPOISING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 19, 1964 arll ff"!lilllll'l'fllllllllIIil'lll'l'llII'I'I'iIlIII Q INVENTOR wiLuAM P- IGGULDEN United States Patent 3,269,684 COUNTERPOISING AND EQUIPOISING MECHANISM William Palmer Iggulden, 713717 Nepean Highway East Brighton, Victoria, Australia Filed Oct. 19, 1964, Ser. No. 404,606 6 Claims. (Cl. 248280) This invention relates to counterpoising or equipoising mechanism such as is used for supporting lamps, hair dryers, microphones, optical apparatus and other articles, the article being supported by a structure consisting of one or more pivoted arms and the weight of the whole being counterpoised or equipoised by one or more counterbalancing springs.

In such mechanisms the counterbalancing springs have hitherto been connected directly to the supporting structure. In some cases, the springs have been enclosed within the pivoted arms of the structure between attachment points. Such general constructions, although often efficient, have the disadvantage that the length of the spring is governed by the distance between the attachment points, or conversely, the spacing of the attachment points is governed by the spring requirements. Access to the springs for adjustment or other purposes also can be difficult.

The object of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantages.

According to the invention, there is provided counterpoising or equipoising mechanism comprising a main supporting member, :a first supporting Iarm pivoted by a pivot pin to said main supporting member, a second supporting arm pivoted to a pin which is supported pivotally from the pivot pin of the first supporting arm by means of short links and two counter-balancing coiled springs arranged beyond or away from the arms and each secured near one end to the main supporting member, one spring having its other end connected through an interposed member to the first supporting arm and the other spring having its other end connected through an interposed member to the pin on which the second supporting arm is pivoted.

The invention is more fully described aided by reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention as applied to a lamp. In these views:

FIG. 1 is a side View of the complete lamp and mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of portion of the mechanism showing the connection of the springs.

FIG. 3 is a section on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of one of the spring units.

FIG. 6 is a detail sectional view illustrating the mounting of the spring units.

As is shown in these views, the mechanism comprises a bracket 2 having a plate 3 adapted for suitable attachment to a wall, ceiling or other convenient surface as by means of screws 4 or the like. The outer end of the bracket has a tubular member 5 swivelly supporting a main supporting member 6.

The lower end of the member 6 is bifurcated and pivotally supports by means of a pin 7 one arm 8 of a twin arm arrangement. The other arm 9 of said arrangement is pivoted to a pin 10 which is pivotally supported from the pin 7 by means of short links 11. The arm 8 is preferably of channel-shape in cross-section while the arm 9 is of box-like section and is of lesser width than the other arm 8 so that it telescopes within said arm as shown in FIG. 4 as the arms are pivotally moved.

The outer ends of the two

arms

8 and 9 are pivotally connected as at 12 and 13 to an extension arm 14 which at its outer end supports the article to be supported. The drawings show a shaded lamp as 15 with switch 16. Preferably, the lamp or other article is connected to the outer end of the extension arm 14 by means of a pivotal fitting 17 and a swivel fitting 18 so that the position of the lamp or article is universally adjustable.

The main supporting member 6 supports two

tubular casings

19 and 20 each enclosing a coiled counter-balancing spring 21. The springs are seated at one end against a closed bottom 22 on each casing and

encircle rods

23 and 24 respectively which slidably extend out of the casings through holes 25 in the bottoms 22. The other ends of the springs are seated upon plungers 26 attached to the inner ends of the

rods

23 and 24 respectively and slidable in the

casings

19 and 20. Thus, the coiled springs exert pressure on the plungers 26 as the

rods

23 and 24 are moved. The upper ends of the

casings

19 and 20 may be closed by means of inserted plugs 27.

The rod 23 from the casing 19 is connected to a pin 28 on the arm 8 close to its pivot pin 7 while the rod 24 from the other casing 20 is connected to the pivot pin 10 of the other arm 9.

The operation of the mechanism will be obvious. As the

arms

8, 9 and 14 are articulated in obtaining the required adjusted position of the lamp 15, or other article, the

rods

23 and 24 and plungers 26 are moved in the

casings

19 and 20 and apply pressure to the coiled springs 21 in such manner as to counterbalance the weight of the supported parts including the lamp 15 or other supported article and the

arms

8, 9 and 14.

To enable the

casings

19 and 20 to automatically adjust their positions to suit the angular positions of the

rods

23 and 24, said casings are preferably pivotally mounted on a pin 29 on the main supporting member 6. To facilitate assembly, the pin 29 may have heads 30 on its ends which are engaged by slotted fittings 31 secured to the

casings

19 and 20.

It will be obvious from the above that the coiled counterbalancing springs 21 are disposed beyond or away from the two

points

10 and 28 of the equipoise structure to which the spring force is applied, the spring force being applied, in the case of one spring through the intermediat-ory plunger 26, the rod 23 and the pin 28 to the arm 8 and, in the case of the other spring, through the intermedia-tory of the plunger 26, the rod 24 and the pin 10.

Some of the advantages obtained with the improved mechanism, as described, are improved balancing properties, particularly in the case of special applications, more convenient adjustment of the springs because of their greater accessibility in the

casings

19 and 20 and also a generally improved appearance of the mechanism.

To lock the mechanism in an adjusted position, the pin 7 may be screwthreaded at one end and fitted with a clamping finger nut 32 which, in effect, tightens the pivotal joint at the pin 7. The bracket 2 may also be of hollow two-piece construction to house a junction fitting for the electric power supply leads 33. From said fitting leads are passed through the tubular member 5 of the bracket, the main supporting member 6, the arm 9 and the extension arm 14, which is also tubular, to the switch 16 and the lamp 15 or other supported article.

What I claim is:

1. Counterpoising or equipoising mechanism comprising a main supporting member, a first supporting arm of channel shape pivoted at one end by a first pivot pin to one end of said main supporting member to swing in the same plane, a second supporting arm of lesser width and telescoping longitudinally in the channel of the first arm, said second arm being pivoted to swing in said plane and slightly away from the first arm by a second pin which is supported pivotally from said first pivot pin by a short link, a single pair only of counterbalancing coiled springs each enclosed in a tubular casing and disposed one on either side of said main supporting member, means securing said casings directly to and beside the main supporting member, one end of each spring being seated on a closed bottom of its casing, the other end of each spring being seated on a plunger adjustable along the inner end of a rod which slideably extends out of the casing through an aperture in said bottom, the outer end of one of said rods being pivoted to a third pivot spaced from said first pivot on the first supporting arm, and the other end of the other rod being pivoted to said second pin.

2. Counterpoising or equipoising mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said means securing each said casing comprises a pin extending outwardly from the main support and having an outer head, a fitting secured to each casing having a longitudinal slot therein opening toward the bottom of the casing to slideably and pivotably receive the head of said pin on the main support.

3. Counterpoising or equipoising mechanism as claimed in claim 2 wherein the outer ends of the two supporting arms are pivotally connected to an extension arm which, at its outer end, supports an article to be supported by means of a pivotal fitting and a swivel fitting.

4. Counterpoising or equipoising mechanism as claimed in claim 2 wherein the main supporting member is swivelly supported from a bracket adapted for attachment to a wall, ceiling or other surface.

5. Counterpoising or equipoising mechanism as claimed in claim 4 wherein the bracket is of hollow two-piece construction to house a junction fitting for electric power supply leads and leads from said fitting extend through the bracket, the main supporting member and the arms to the supported article.

6. Counterpoising or equipoisin-g mechanism comprising a main supporting member, a first supporting arm pivoted at one end by a first pivot pin to one end of said main supporting member to swing in the same plane, a second supporting arm movable longitudinally of the first arm, said second arm being pivoted to swing in said plane and slightly away from the first arm by a second pin which is supported pivotally from said first pivot pin by a short link, a single pair only of counterbalancing coiled springs disposed one on either side of said main supportingvmember, means securing one end of each said springs directly to and beside the main supporting member, the other end of each spring being secured to a collar adjustable along a rod, the end of one of said rods being pivoted to a third pivot spaced from said first pivot on'the first supporting arm, and the end of the other rod being pivoted to said second pin.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,036,097 3/ 1936 Pieper 248--280 X 2,700,524 l/l955 Lauterbach 248-280 FOREIGN PATENTS 237,596 2/ 1962 Australia. 189,254 5/ 1937 Switzerland.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

R. P. SEITTER, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. COUNNTERPOISING OR EQUIPOSING MECHANISM COMPRISING A MAIN SUPPORTING MEMBER, A FIRST SUPPORTING ARM OF CHANNEL SHAPE PIVOTED AT ONE END BY A FIRST PIVOT PIN TO ONE END OF SAID MAIN SUPPORTING MEMBER TO SWING IN THE SAME PLANE, A SECOND SUPPORTING ARM OF LESSER WIDTH AND TELESCOPING LONGITUDINALLY IN THE CHANNEL OF THE FIRST ARM, SAID SECOND ARM BEING PIVOTED TO SWING IN SAID PLANE AND SLIGHTLY AWAY FROM THE FIRST ARM BY A SECOND PIN WHICH IS SUPPORTED PIVOTALLY FROM SAID FIRST PIVOT PIN BY A SHORT LINK A SINGLE PAIR OF COUNTERBALANCING COILED SPRINGS EACH ENCLOSED IN A TUBULAR CASING AND DISPOSED ONE ON EITHER SIDE OF SAID MAIN SUPPORTING MEMBER, MEANS SESURING SAID CASING DIRECTLY TO AND BESIDE THE MAIN SUPPORTING MEMBER, ONE END OF EACH SPRING BEING SEATED ON A CLOSED BOTTOM OF ITS CASING, THE OTHER END OF EACH SPRING BEING SEATED ON A PLUNGER ADJUSTABLE ALONG THE INNER END OF A ROD WHICH SLIDEABLY EXTENDS OUT OF THE CASING THROUGH AN APERTURE IN SAID BOTTOM, THE OUTER END OF ONE OF SAID RODS BEING PIVOTED TO A THIRD PIVOT SPACED FROM SAID FIRST PIVOT ON THE FIRST SUPPORTING ARM, AND THE OTHER END OF THE OTHER ROD BEING PIVOTED TO SAID SECOND PIN.